[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Battle - no Who



Kevin writes - citing the brilliant Mark Leaman:

> >The State Department was appointed by Boy Bush.
> 
> True.  But, Newt is an advisor to Rumsfeld.  It's State vs Defense.
> Diplomacy vs. Military.  Rumsfeld/Cheney (aka Bush) vs. Powel.
> 
> 

Uhh - Colin Powell and a few top people of State are presidential appointees. 
 The vast majority of any Federal department are career people who stay there 
and work there no matter who is in the White House.  Most of them have been 
there for years - under Democrat and Republican presidents.  

I have quite a few customers that are Federal government employees (I have 
been doing record shows in the DC area for years!) as well as many pals in 
the military and even a couple who work for State - and they all will tell 
you this is how it works.

As for reforming State - that department has needed a hot lead enema for 
years!  Ask any American who has lived overseas (as I have) about their 
feelings for the State Department!  You will not hear many of them being 
favorable.  I was never impressed with them when I lived in South America!  
No one I know that has lived overseas for any period of time is impressed 
with them.  Even the two State employees that I know that have lived overseas 
are not that impressed with their department.  It comes down to inefficient 
bureacrats that hold middle level to upper middle level jobs that do 
everything their way or the highway - and since hack government employees 
cannot be fired for anything short of murder, unless there is a REAL attempt 
at sweeping changes, nothing will come of this.  Newt is right on!

Yet more evidence that government is woefully inefficient and can never 
compete in terms of efficiency and productivity with the private sector!  I 
believe the most recent Univ. of Pennsylvania study has government down to 
being five times worse that the private sector in terms of both factors in 
their bi-annual study!  Unlike private business, where if they have left over 
budget money they can give bonuses to employees, pay dividends to investors, 
etc., government runs on a "use it or lose it" factor - hence there is no 
incentive to save money at all!  A pal of mine that works for Commerce tells 
me all the time how much in tax payer dollars his department wastes alone 
each year!  This is YOUR money folks!

As for US cabinet level posts not getting along - read a book sometime.  This 
has gone on since this nation began!  As an added attraction, sometimes 
presidents and Congress don't get along as well.  You might like to know why 
the Department of the Treasury building is where it is in relation to the 
White House and the Capitol - so it could block the view of Pres. Andrew 
Jackson from seeing those "damned fools in Congress."

End of today's Civics lesson.

Greg Biggs